Apparatus for treating the abdomen



1927' J. .1. cooPER REATI NG THE ABDOMEN APPARATUS FOR T Filed March so, 1926 INVENTOR filg f Qooper- WITNESSES ATTORNEYS 4 Feb. 22 1927.

J. J. COOPER APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE ABDOMEN 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 WW 16 .M

Filed March 50, 1926 1 V g VII/ADM i ATI'ORNEYS Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

JOHN J. 0002113, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE ABDOMER';

Application filed March 30, 1926; Serial No.- 98,553.

My invention relates to an apparatus for use in conditioning men and women and partcularly to an apparatus the operation of which will be under the control of the person undergoing treatment and in which massaging of the abdominal region is effected through leg movements on the part of the operator of the apparatus.

The general object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for the indicated purpose having as a characteristic the capability of the person being treated completely relaxing his or her body while undergoing treatment or relaxing the body to whatever degree may be found desirable.

Particularly the invention has for an object to provide a massaging means manually operable preferably by an action involved in pedaling movement produced by the person undergoing treatment.

More specifically the invention has in view the provision of a pedal device adapted to be actuated by a person seated on a stationary frame of the apparatus and means dependent on the up and down movements of the legs in the pedaling to produce the massaging movement.

The invention also has in view an abdominal massaging device which may be given either a rotary or an oscillating movement.

The manner and means whereby the above and other objects are attained will clearly appear as the description proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification it being understood-that the drawings are merely illustrative of one example of the invention with modification of details thereof. v i I Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of port-ions of the massaging devices and a fragment of a handle bar;

Figure 3 is a detail in horizontal section on the line 33, Figure i;

Figure 4 is a front view of the operating bar and leg straps of the massaging means, the fixed supporting bar thereof being in cross section; v

Figure 5 is a back view of a massaging head; a

Figure 5 is a detail in longitudinal section through the massaging head-shown in Figure 5, as well as the actuating sleeve therefor and showing the fixed supporting bar in side elevation;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Figure 7; v g y y Figure 7 is a detail in longitudinal section through a portion of the operating sleeve of the massaging head, the supporting bar being here shown in plan;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing a; modified massaging head with three separate massaging members adjustable relatively to each other to vary the contact surface of the head;

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9., Figure 8; I

Figure 10 is a section on the line 10-10, Figure 11, illustrating a further modification of the measuring head, said head being more particularly intended for use when the head is given a turning motion in one direc tion only; I

Figure 11 is a section on the line 11-11, Figure 10.

In the illustrated example of means for carrying out my invention, I have shown a frame 10 generally of the character of a bicycle frame having at the front head 11; to receive a forked standard 12 having feet 13 adapted to be secured firmly to the floor. At the back end of the frame 10 support is afforded said frame by a stirrup-like element113 adapted to be screwed or bolted to the floor. The frame 10 is equipped with a crank shaft 14: having pedals 15, said shaft having a sprocket wheel 16 with a chain 17 which runs also over a second sprocket wheel 18 on frame10 at the rear. A saddle 19 is provided on frame 10 on which the person to undergo treatment may be seated so that his feet can operate the pedals 15 for exercise and also for the purpose of giving regular up anddown movements to the legs for actuating the massaging device.

Integral with the standards 12 is a spindle 20 having a head 120 formed with a transverse bore in which a handle bar 21 may be emplaced to be adjustable vertically. For supporting the massaging device from the spindle 20 or handle 21, any feasible expedients may be provided. In the illustrated example, a frame 22 is provided which is shown here as secured by clamps 23 to the handle bar 21. A cross'member 2 1 hasa sleeve 25 through which passes a rod 26 for supporting the massaging means hereinafter referred to, there being a set screw 27 associated with said sleeve to bind the rod 26 rigidly in position. In order to further make the rod 26 rigid, I tie the same to the top bar 28 of fixed frame 10. The means employed in the illustrated ex ample consists of a turnbuckle 29, the oppositely threaded members 30 of the turnbuckle assemblage being secured respectively by a ring 31 to frame bar 28 and by sleeve 32 to rod 26. The turnbuckle can be made to exert a. tightening strain on the rod 26 giving it the desired firmness.

On the rod 26 is an elongated sleeve 33 preferably squared in cross section having a bore to receive said rod so that the sleeve may turn about the rod as an axis. Said sleeve 33 has a flange 34 at one end, said flange being formed with curved slots 35 at opposite sides of the axis of the sleeve. A head to produce a massaging effect is provided which may have different forms as shown in Figures 5, 8 and 10. The massaging head in Figure 5 is designatedgenerally by the numeral 36 and in the illustrated form said head includes a back plate 37 to which is secured by screws 38 a pair of massaging members 39. On the back plate 37 are yoke-like brackets 40 spaced apart and on said bracket are threaded terminals 41 provided with wing-nuts 42. The threaded terminals or studs 41 are adapted to be engaged in the curved slots of flange 34 and by tightening up the nuts 42, the massaging head 36'will then be held firmly on the sleeve 33 to turn therewith.

In Figures 8 and 9 the massaging head 136 includes a back plate 137 to which massaging elements 139 are secured adjustably. The adjustable connections between the plate 137 and the elements 139 are effected by screws 141, said screws 141 being swivelled to plate 137 and having heads 142 for turning the same. The threaded ends of screws 141 are adapted to be engaged in internally threaded plugs or sockets 43 in the elements 139. It will be seen that the screws 141 permit of one or another element 139 being projected to a greater or less extent to vary the general massaging surface presented by the three or more members 139.

In Figures 10 and 11 is a massaging head designated generally by the numeral 236 shown with an oval frame 44 against which a plurality of massaging elements 239 are held. The elements 239 are slidably held to the frame-44 which frame is fixed on the rod 26 and therefore is non-turnable. On the other hand, the elements 239 have shanks 45 at the back thereof and each shank has a spindle 46 directed laterally inward into sockets 47 on a plate 237 corresponding with the plates 37 and 137. On the back plate 237 are brackets 40 described in connection with the form illustrated in Figures 5 to 7 and having threaded pivots or studs 41 provided with nuts 42, to secure the back plate 237 to the flange 34 of sleeve 33.

In order to impart turning movement to the sleeve 33 and therefore to the massaging head 36, 136 or 236, the following instrumentalities are employed in the illustrated form: The actuating means for the sleeve 33 includes suitable means responsive to the leg movements or operated by the up and down movements of the legs. In the example shown, leg straps 48 are provided adapted to be secured to the legs near the knees to rise and fall with the knee action incident to the pedaling movement. Said straps include a securing buckle 49 which serves also to vary the total efiective length of each leg strap, to suit the movements to the given individual undergoing treatment and also to determine the amplitude of movement imparted to the massaging head. On the sleeve 33 is a cross head 50 having at the top thereof elongated bars 51 to which billets 52 are secured through the medium of loops 53 or equivalent means.

.The securing means for bar 51 as illustrated has threaded studs 151, projecting from cross head 50 and wing nuts 251. Bars 51 engage in keeper 150 on cross head 50 and said bars 51 have slots 351 through which studs 151 pass to adjust the total effective joint length of the bars 51. The billets 52 pass downwardly through holes 54 in bar 51 and are provided with rings 55 through which the leg straps 48 pass as previously described. Since the sleeve 33 to which cross head 50 is loose on the rod, the up and down movements of the legs will act through the straps 48 and billets 52 to give turning movement to said sleeve. I provide for imparting a turning movement continuously in one direction or causing an oscillating movement of said sleeve 33 about the axis of the rod 26, see Figures 3 and Said operating means in the form given as an example includes a plate 56 keyed and slidable on rod 26. On sleeve 33 at the rear end or that end opposite flange 34, is a fixed ratchet wheel 57 which is adapted to be engaged by a pawl 58 on a fixed plate 56. Squared on the sleeve 33 is a ratchet wheel 59 engaging which is a pawl 60 pressed by a spring 61. The loose ratchet wheel 59 is adapted to be held fast to the sleeve by means of a set screw 62 which is turn-able in a boss 63 on the cross head 50.

lVith the described means to turn sleeve 33, if the set screw 62 is not tightened up against the ratchet wheel 59, the rocking of the left side of cross head 50 and bar 51 downwardly and the right hand side upwardly (Figure 4) will result as follows: The pawls 58 and 60 will slip over the ratchet wheel 59 but upon the reverse movement taking place and the right hand end of cross head 50 being rocked downwardly, while the left moves upwardly, the pawl will engage ratchet wheel 59 and give a turning impulse to the sleeve 33 and therefore to the massaging assemblage 36, 136 or 236. Thus, intermittent impulses will be imparted to the massaging head and always in a given direction.

On the other hand if it is desired to oscillate the cross head 50 and with it the sleeve and the massaging head (36, 136 or 236) so that massaging action will be obtained alternately in opposite direction, the pawl 58 is thrown out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 56 and therefore out of engagement withthe rod 26, and the set screw 62 is turned into binding engagement with the ratchet wheel 59- If now, referring to Figure l, the left-hand end of cross head 50 and bar 5:2 be depressed and the right-hand end of said cross head and said bar caused to move upwardly then since the set screw 62 looks the boss 63 of cross head 50 in rigid relation to the sleeve 33, said cross head 50 and with it the sleeve 33 and the massaging head 36, for example, will be oscillated, the whole assemblage referred to, rocking as a unit alternately in opposite directions.

I provide a spring 64 on red 26 and bearing at one end against a set collar 65 on said rod and at its other end against plate 34:. Said spring 64 is yieldable to pressure of the person undergoing treatment against the massaging elements 39, for example.

I would state furthermore that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since, manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An apparatus of the class described including a frame having a seat, pedals positioned to be actuated by one occupying said seat, a device to effect abdominal treatment,

and operating means for the said device, said operating means being subject to the movements of the legs when operating the pedals.

2. An apparatus of the class described including a frame having a seat, pedals position-ed to be actuated by one occupying said seat, a turnably mounted device to effect abdominal treatment, and means adapted to impart turning movement to said device, said means being subject for operative movement to the movements of the legs when actuating said pedals.

3. A massaging apparatus including. a frame, a seat on said frame, pedals on said frame below the seat in a position to be engaged by the feet of the person on. the seat. a turnable massaging device, said massaging device terminating adjacent the seat to operate on a person on said seat, and means subject to the up and down movement of the legs following the operation of the pedals, and arranged to actuate said massaging device.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a device adapted to be positioned against the abdomen of a person to be treated, means turnably mounting said device, and leg-actuated means for causing turning movement of said device, and pedals disposed in a position to cause up and down leg movements for operating said leg actuating means- 5. In an apparatus of the class described, a turnably mounted device adapted to be positioned against the abdomen of a person to be treated, a cross head associated with said turnable device, and leg straps secured to said cross head.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a turnably mounted device adapted to be positioned against the abdomen of a person to be treated, a cross head associated with said turnable device, and leg straps secured to said cross head, said leg straps variable to vary the turning movement imparted to the cross head.

JOHN J. COOPER. 

